Preparing for SC13

Whether you are new to SC or you've been coming for years, the SC conference can be an overwhelming experience. Every year the conference grows with more exhibits, more technical program sessions and more attendees, making it harder than ever to keep track of everything going on.

To start planning your agenda, start at the SC13 website. Here you will find descriptions of the activities and a detailed Technical Program Schedule that can be used to build your own personalized agenda. When viewing the online Technical Program Schedule, notice on the far right-hand side a column labeled "PLANNER." Click on this to build your own schedule. Once you select an event and want to add it to your personal schedule, just click on one of the calendar icons (outlook calendar, ical calendar or Google calendar) and that event will be stored there. As you select events using the online planner you build your own SC Conference agenda.

Also, the free SC13 application (powered by Boopsie) tracks all events from your smartphone. Simply point your phone’s browser at http://sc.boopsie.com/ to download the SC13 app, or search for "SC13" in your phone’s store or market.

Transportation from Denver (DEN) Airport to Downtown Denver

For transportation from the Denver (DEN) International airport to downtown Denver, the SC13 hotels, or the Denver Convention Center you can schedule a shuttle or take a taxi.

Taxi Service - More Info & Taxi Cab Companies
Taxi service booths are located at the Jeppesen Terminal Level 5, Island 1, outside doors 505-507 (east side) and 510-512 (west side). Services for passengers with disabilities are readily available, though advance reservations are recommended. The flat rate charge for a one-way fare from DEN to Downtown Denver is $55.15, while metered taxi rates range from $62 - $65, plus a $4.15 airport access fee for each metered taxi trip.

Airport Shuttle Service - More Info & Shuttle Companies
Commuter shuttles, also known as shared ride services, operate regularly from the airport. Individual operators may provide pre-arranged, on-demand, and / or charter services for locations within the Denver Metro area and other locations within the state of Colorado. Some providers may also provide service to locations outside the state. Please contact a shuttle provider directly for more information on fees and destinations served. Commuter shuttles pick-up and drop-off from Jeppesen Terminal. Level 5, Island 3, outside doors 505-507 (east side) and 510-512 (west side).

SkyRide at DEN – More info & SkyRide Schedules
SkyRide is RTD’s convenient, affordable bus service to and from Denver International Airport (DEN). Catch frequent SkyRide buses throughout the RTD service area at bus stops and at many Park-n-Rides, every day of the year. Buses depart from each SkyRide stop at least once an hour (nonstop) and some as frequently as every 15 minutes (one-stop). One-way SkyRide fares from DEN to Downtown Denver are only $11 for nonstop and $8 for one-stop trips (make sure you bring exactly change!)

Registration

Upon arrival at the Denver Convention Center, please proceed to the registration area in the ‘A/F’ lobby concourse to register and pick up your badge, which you need to wear at all times. We strongly encourage Workshop and Tutorials participants to register the day before the event to avoid long registration lines on the day of the events.

How SC is organized

There are four main components of the SC conference: the Technical Program, the Exhibits, HPC Interconnections, and SCinet.

The Technical Program has been the heart of the conference since its inception. The Technical Program provides multiple forums for sharing research, development and applications through invited talks, technical papers, tutorials, panel discussions, workshops, research posters, scientific visualization showcase, Birds-of-a-Feather sessions, and awards. A Technical Program registration and badge are needed for attending most of these sessions, while tutorials and workshops require separate registrations.

The Exhibit Hall is filled with booths featuring the latest technologies and discoveries from industrial and research organizations located around the world. To enter the Exhibit Hall, you will need either an Exhibitor, Technical Program or Exhibits Only registration.

The HPC Interconnections Program engages people new to SC and/or new to high performance computing, networking, storage and analysis. Within the HPC Interconnections Program are:

HPC Educators, offers activities for undergraduate educators and SC attendees interested in integrating HPC and computational and data-enabled science and engineering into classrooms;

Doctoral Showcase focuses on the dissertation research of Ph.D. students in high performance computing, networking, storage and analysis and give them an opportunity to present their research and engage with the SC community;

Student Cluster Competition is a real-time, non-stop, 48-hour challenge, teams of undergraduate and/or high school students assemble a small cluster on the SC13 exhibit floor and race to demonstrate the greatest sustained performance across a series of applications;

Student Job/Opportunity Fair is a face-to-face event will be open to all students and postdocs participating in the SC13 conference, giving them an opportunity to meet with potential employers;

Student Volunteers program, brings students from around the world to assist with conference logistics while providing them time to attend the sessions

SCinet operates a commodity network for attendees and an experimental network that showcases the latest, most sophisticated technology currently available. SCinet supports the high-speed network connections linking the convention center to outside networks and provides wired and wireless connections for SC attendees and exhibitors. A dedicated group of network experts volunteer each year to create SCinet, the conference network that has more bandwidth into the Conference than any other facility in the world and more capacity than many cities and countries.

Social Events

There are three major social events scheduled by the SC13 Conference, however vendors are also known to hold additional events. Make sure to check with them on the exhibit floor, and watch your email for invitations. It’s always a good idea to RSVP early for vendor events if you plan on attending.

The Exhibitor Reception held from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday, November 17, at Coors Field. SC13’ will host an Exhibitors Party for registered exhibitors. The party is SC13s way of thanking exhibitors for their participation and support of the conference. The party will be held at Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies professional baseball team. Everyone is encouraged to wear the jersey or jacket of their favorite sports team. The party will feature a live (and lively!) band, self-guided tours of the facility, including the visitor’s locker room and dugout, games, and ballpark food and drinks throughout the facility. Transportation will be provided from Lobby B of the convention center to Coors Field starting at 5:45 p.m. An Exhibitor badge, party ticket, and government-issued photo ID are required to attend this event.

The Opening Gala held from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Monday, November 18, in the Denver Exhibit Hall, is a great way to check out the latest in high performance computing and networking technologies, and it gives you a chance to mingle with other researchers and HPC experts. This gala event is open to all Exhibitor and Technical Program registrants. (Guest tickets may be purchased at the SC13 Store.)

The Technical Program Reception held from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. Thursday, November 21, at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, is intended to give the Technical Program attendees a chance to network and collaborate in a relaxed setting. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is the Rocky Mountain region's leading resource for informal science education. Join us for delicious food, beverages, entertainment, and a variety of exhibitions and activities that will help attendees experience the natural wonders of Colorado, the Earth, and the universe. A Technical Program badge, event ticket, and government-issued photo ID are required to attend this event. Attendees are required to wear technical program badges throughout the reception, and badges may be checked during the event. Shuttle transportation to and from the event will run 6:30 p.m. -10 p.m. from Lobby B of the convention center (look for buses with "DMNS" sign in the front window).

SC13 Conference Program & Exhibit Directory

When you pick up your registration badge at the Denver Convention Center, you will receive two printed publications to help navigate through the conference.

The Exhibit Directory provides a list of all exhibitors, and the sessions offered through the Exhibitor Forum.

Wireless Access

SCinet provides free wireless network access throughout the Denver Convention Center for all sessions and the Exhibit Hall. The network can be accessed via SSIDs “SC13” or “eduroam”. The “SC13” SSID is the general wireless access SSID that the majority of attendees and exhibitors will connect to that provides an unencrypted wireless connection to the internet. The “eduroam” SSID is an encrypted wireless connection that is authenticated with a pre-configured users’ credentials from their participating home institution.

Eduroam (education roaming) is a secure, worldwide roaming access service developed for the international research and education community. It allows students, faculty, and staff from participating institutions to obtain wireless connectivity when visiting other participating institutions by simply opening their device (which is preconfigured to access the eduroam service). This makes connecting to the Internet easy and convenient for eduroam users when visiting participating institutions for conferences, research, or other reasons.

SC13’s SCinet team has made special arrangements to connect to the eduroam service to allow eduroam-enabled users to connect to the wireless network. Every institution (i.e. university or equivalent) that participates in eduroam connects its institutional identity authentication and authorization server (called RADIUS) to a national top-level RADIUS server of the country where the institution is located to validate the user’s identity credentials.

If your institution is not part of eduroam and you do not have an account previously setup before coming to SC13 by your institution, you will NOT be able to join eduroam server at the SC conference. For more information, visit: https://www.eduroam.org/

We encourage you to save a customized schedule or SC13 App to your mobile device prior to arriving in Denver so you can get a head start on navigating the conference.

Get Connected with SC13 Social Media

Join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+! Connect with colleagues, discuss the technical program, get the latest news from exhibitors, post videos and images about your experience and share tips about Denver attractions! Follow @supercomputing and use #SC13, the official hashtag for the conference, to let the world know what you see, hear and feel during the week. We want it all!

Convention Center Parking

Parking is available at the Denver Convention Center at a rate of $12 for up to 9 hours and $15 for up to 12 hours a day. Automated pay stations make parking easy and convenient. Simply remember your vehicle stall number and proceed to any pay station located on all levels within the parking garage. More information about Convention Center Parking is available here.

SC13 Shuttle Service

All SC13 hotels are located close to the Convention Center – more than half of them are within 3 blocks. Therefore, no bus transportation will be provided.

Conference Store

One of the busiest places at the SC conference is the Conference Store, where you can pick up shirts, hats and other souvenirs. If you see something you like, we suggest buying it then as the store often runs out of popular items before the week is up. Really! The Conference Store hours are the same as Registration (see above).

Convention Services/Facilities

ATMs: Three ATMs are located within the convention center, and you can find these located in the F Lobby, B Lobby and the D Lobby as shown above.

Business Center is located off A Lobby in the red carpeted concourse of the convention center. The center is open 7:30am – 5:30pm during convention days. For more information, please contact: borgerding@myofficeco.com Phone: (720)904-2300.

Attendee Help Line

New for SC13, we have added an attendee help line (303) 228-8502. This number will be staffed from Sunday, Nov. 17 until Friday Nov. 22 from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. (closing at noon on Friday). Please feel free to call this number with any problems you are having. Whether it is an issue like running out of food at a break to shuttle buses not showing up or running late, our knowledgeable volunteers will be there to try to help.

Information Booths

There are two SC Information Booths this year to help answer any questions you may have about SC13. The Main Information booth is located in the ‘A/F’ lobby concourse, near Registration. The second Information booth is located down the main passageway toward the meeting space in the ‘D’ concourse. Information booth hours are available on the SC13 website.

The SC conference organizers try to anticipate many of your questions and electronic signs will be posted throughout the convention center listing the times and locations for most conference activities. Often the answer to your question can be found on one of these signs, please don't hesitate to ask if you need help!

Finally, check out the SC13 website (SC13.supercomputing.org) and be sure to load your smartphone with the SC13 app, to help you navigate the array of conference offerings as well as information about the local Denver area.

We look forward to seeing you in Denver!

Find Out What's Going On in Denver

Visit Denver to find all that Denver has to offer during your SC13 free time.

Denver is a young, active city located at the base of the Rocky Mountains. With 300 days of sunshine annually, the Mile High City is a great year-round destination, combining urban excitement and western heritage with outdoor adventures, from a concert at the famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre to hiking and mountain biking, to the best of American skiing.

Of all the changes Denver has experienced in recent years, none rivals the influx of innovative, chef-owned restaurants that are opening up all over the city. From farm-to-table to comfort food, Denver's dining scene is booming. But food is just the beginning. The Mile High City's craft beer, spirits and wine worlds are experiencing rapid growth as well.

Of course, you'll want to do more than just eat and drink while you're in Denver. To explore everything else, from must-see attractions to can't-miss events, go to VISITDENVER.com.

Weather Update

Denver is an amazing city with lots to do and explore, so you'll want to be sure you're dressed comfortably for your excursions. Local weather tends to be cool during the day with a high of around 53 degrees F, and a low of 26 degrees F in the evening. Check the local weather forecast before you pack to be prepared for the climate. Please remember that the Denver Convention Center will be air conditioned and can be chilly, so dress in layers to make sure you are comfortable both indoors and out.

Prepare for Your Trip

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER, both before your trip to Colorado, and while you are here. Staying hydrated is the number one way to help your body adjust easily to our higher altitude. The low humidity in Colorado keeps the air dry, like the desert, so you need about twice as much water here as you would drink at home. It is also recommended that you go easy on the alcohol and smoking in the mountains, as its effects will feel stronger here. The effects of exercise are more intense here as well. If you normally run 10 miles a day at home, you might try six miles at altitude.

WHAT TO BRING: Colorado has bright, sunny days year-round. Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm ... even in winter.

WHAT TO WEAR: Business Casual is the attire. Two days before your trip, check into www.weather.com for the latest on weather and temperature. Please use this information to pack appropriately. Colorado can feel much warmer than the actual temperature during the daytime, but then become very chilly after sundown, particularly in the Spring and Fall. It is best to layer your clothing.

FALL: Denver weather in the fall is pleasantly similar to Spring with warm days and cool evenings. Medium weight clothing with a jacket and/or topcoat for evenings should prove a comfortable combination in this Denver weather. A visit to the mountains will generally require warmer clothing.

WINTER: Winter days are generally a combination of warm sun and crisp air. Daytime temperatures can vary from below freezing to above 60 degrees, so layers of medium weight clothing together with a warm jacket or overcoat are desirable. Snow falls infrequently in Denver and usually disappears quickly; however, a pair of boots should be included in the wardrobe.

ALTITUDE: Don’t let anything you hear about the altitude scare you. The air is just thinner and dryer. In fact, many people with respiratory problems move to Denver for the benefits of the dry air.